Friday’s Art Walk to feature LAC pottery show opening

Whether inside the Lumberyard Arts Center or on the streets of downtown on Aug. 19, Baldwin City will be the place to be for art lovers.

From 7-9 p.m., the Baldwin Community Arts Council will be the host of the August Art Walk and at the same time, an opening reception will take place for a new exhibit in the Lumberyard Arts Center featuring the Lawrence Potter’s Guild. The guild has been making clay art for more than 34 years.

Seven artists will represent the potter’s guild at the exhibit, including three local artists, Christy Carlisle, Phyllis Nelson and Kelly Pinet. The other artists are Kara McKarney, Joleen Macy-Thompson, Alan Brummel and Sherri Hanna. Combined, the seven artists have 150 years of experience in clay media.

“Any time that we can connect this way through art and through our community, we always have a good time. Openings are always fun,” Carlisle said. “You know, we goof off a lot and crack jokes, and I think all the artists are going to be there too, so it’ll be good to have everybody together.”

Carlisle, an art teacher at Baldwin High School who has been with the Lawrence Potter’s Guild for around six years, said they won’t know exactly how many pieces will be represented in the exhibit until it is set up, but would guess the number to be about 100. Carlisle will be contributing 10 mini vases, three large bowls and an abstract three-foot piece. All pieces on display will also be for sale.

“It’s all for sale, and we will put stuff in the gift shop also,” Carlisle said. “So, you know, you could find anything from a mug to a 3-foot sculptural piece for the garden, you know, and a very eclectic mix of potters. Some are very traditional, thrown, functional pieces and some of us get a little free with our stuff, with our clay.”

Carlisle’s work was in a LAC show with her husband a year ago. She said many artists live in the Baldwin City community and it was nice to have that representation available.

Some of Carlisle’s pieces have been created specifically for this exhibit, as she was still firing pieces this week to prepare for the event, and she said not only were gallery openings good opportunities to meet people and display work, but they helped motivate artists as well.

“From an artist’s point of view, when we know we have a show coming up, it inspires us, you know, to get motivated and start creating specifically for that show,” Carlisle said.

The coinciding Art Walk will include a Creative Café in the classrooms of the LAC, where people can talk to artists and instructors about what classes are available at the LAC. The Art Walk will also include the second annual sidewalk chalk contest, which will take place by Baldwin State Bank.

“I expect a good crowd. We had actually a real good crowd last month,” said Wayne Jarvis, chairman of the art walk committee. “We were very well pleased.”

Jarvis said another surprise has been planned for this month’s event, as one was for each of the previous months.

Jarvis said they were always trying to bring new things and get different demographics to attend the Art Walk and LAC, and the goal of the LAC was really to become better known throughout the region.

“More and more people are becoming aware of it,” Jarvis said. “Of course it’s surprising, you go down during some of the shows and like the number of people that still it’s their first time in and so forth, so there’s still a lot of people but we’re also attracting people from other areas.”